


Neolatry

by ryuuseirune



Series: Visible [3]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mild Language, Songfic, i just wanted them to get engaged, kind of?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:54:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23534146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryuuseirune/pseuds/ryuuseirune
Summary: Victor has plans to propose to Hop. It goes better than expected.
Relationships: Hop/Masaru | Victor
Series: Visible [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1644436
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	Neolatry

**Author's Note:**

> this can be read as a standalone fic! it's just two idiots in love hahaahahhaha.....  
> please help me

Hop wraps his hand over Victor’s as they sit on a bench in the middle of Wyndon Plaza, ignoring the people walking past. Like always, his palms are incredibly warm against Victor’s freezing-cold skin, rubbing over his knuckles with fond strokes. Victor hums quietly, leaning into Hop’s chest as various tourists flutter by, only occasionally stopping to stare at the couple resting in front of the fountain.

It’s their third anniversary  – and Victor couldn’t be happier.

With his free hand, Victor checks his pocket for the small black box. He’d planned on proposing that day – he’d even told Gloria about how he’d take Hop to the Hulbury Seafood Restaurant and propose on the beach underneath the starry sky. 

So much for that idea.

She somehow convinced him to commission Piers and his dance crew to perform an extravagant flashmob in the middle of Wyndon. Victor, being none-the-wiser, had accepted, thinking Piers wouldn’t want to draw such attention to the couple. Of course, nothing was in Victor’s favor, and now he was sitting with his boyfriend in the middle of Galar’s busiest city, ready to propose.

_ Well, I guess fuck privacy, right? _ Victor thinks, gazing at Hop’s twinkling eyes. Every day, he seems to shine a bit brighter – and Victor can’t help but fall in love all over again, letting his head fall onto Hop’s shoulder. He still smells of lavender shampoo and citrus – just like their youth, Victor remembers, inhaling deeply as Hop chuckles.

“Tired already?” Hop asks, tilting Victor’s chin up for a kiss. It’s quick but enough to recharge his Hop reserves for the day, and Victor bounces back to life with a giggle.

“Not quite,” Victor says. “I could never get tired of you.”

Hop grins, shifting his attention to the scene before them. People have begun to gather in the plaza, stopping at various checkpoints. Victor knows what’s about to happen and double-checks for the ring’s place in his pocket –  _ still there, _ he thinks, sighing in relief.

The two are silent as Piers’s voice rings out over discreetly placed speakers – the song is one of Victor’s choices, oddly enough. Heavy coats fly to the side, discarded as the music turns more upbeat – and Victor’s sure he catches a glimpse of Nessa’s neon blue streaks in the mob as they move as a single unit, forming a Butterfree with their bodies. Raihan and Leon are there, too – sticking out with their sheer height as they dance alongside the shorter gym leaders, rhythmically gliding to the music.

Sometimes, he finds it difficult to pay attention to more than one person – but with Hop at his side, Victor feels like he can do anything. Piers’s voice sounds odd in such a high key – too peppy and joyous for his prickly exterior. He sings the first few lines of the song, energetically dancing alongside a glistening Marnie.

What Victor doesn’t expect is for the girl to join in.

“Good things come to those who wait, but I ain’t in a patient phase,” Marnie’s clear voice rings out – reverberating with a heart-piercing timbre. Piers grins – sneers? – as he pulls his younger sister into an awkward side hug, continuing their duet with his heart in his hands.

Hop hums the first interlude, kissing Victor’s temple with a distracted smile on his face. Victor swears he can hear Hop’s heartbeat – or maybe it’s his own, loud and undulating to the thundering bass. Either way, he can feel his fingers twitch in anticipation – as soon as the bridge comes, Victor will propose.

Pink and purple stream in from the sidelines – Bede and Opal gallop in, riding two Rapidash with ribbons tied into their manes. There are so many familiar faces in the flashmob that Victor feels at home – snuggled under Hop’s arm and watching his favorite people perform. With the chorus coming in, a woman that looks too much like Gloria winks at him from the center of their Corviknight formation. 

Marnie takes her by the hand as they cheesily serenade each other, shooting teasing looks toward Hop and Victor.

“Babe, I love you a lot,” Gloria sings, “I’ll give you all I’ve got.”

“You know that it’s true,” Marnie croons the next line, “I’ve been saving all my summers for you.”

Victor wants to disappear as Hop giggles into his beanie, pulling him even closer. It’s almost as if the gym leaders are doing this to torture him – Victor just wants to lead Hop into the center and get down on one knee and  _ finally say those words – _

His train of thought is interrupted by Allister’s voice.

The young boy he once thought was shy is now performing in front of a whole city – belting out a love song with his entire body. Allister discards his mask as Bea joins him, her voice beckoning passersby to stop and observe the scene unfolding in front of them. This strange evolution – this uncanny glimpse of the future he once thought unreachable is on display in front of him.

Hop squeezes his hand tighter, and Victor wants to fall in love all over again.

_ I’m your carnal flower, I’m your bloody rose, _

_ Pick my petals off and make my heart explode _

_ I’m your deadly nightshade, I’m your cherry tree _

_ You’re my one true love, I’m your destiny – _

As the chorus begins, Nessa and Sonia escape from the sea of bodies, prancing toward the couple. Victor knows it’s time, and suddenly,  _ he’s not ready _ – what if Hop says no, what if he doesn’t want to be with Victor anymore, what if the marriage conversation was just a terrible misunderstanding –

_ I mean, he literally said he wanted to marry me, so I’m not misunderstanding, right? _ Victor panics internally, but the silly smile on Hop’s face relieves him – bringing his attention back to their connected hands. Sonia takes Hop’s other hand, and Nessa grabs Victor’s, guiding them into the chaos. As soon as she lets go, Victor checks for the box – still there – and the crowd parts around them.

The bridge hasn’t started yet. 

Victor glances around nervously, checking the levels of anticipation in his friends. Gordie and Milo are standing side by side, both giving him a thumbs-up – and when he makes eye contact with Kabu, the older gym leader gives him a reserved nod and a smile. Melony is too distracted with the lyrics to send him any signals – but Victor knows it’s time.

The chorus ends.

Victor and Hop let go of each other’s hands at the same time, reach for their pockets at the same time, and get down on one knee at the same time.

_ What? _

Hop’s mouth forms a surprised “oh” as they both stumble to their feet. Victor panics and gets back down on one knee, and Hop does too –  _ Arceus, this is embarrassing. _ He can hear both Gloria and Marnie snickering from the sidelines.  _ Those jerks, _ Victor thinks fondly.  _ They set us up. _

“I –  _ Victor,”  _ Hop breathes. “Victor, I love you so much.”

The music is forgotten, and so is Victor’s speech – all he can do is open the velvety box in his shaky hands. His cheeks feel hot as the diamond ring twinkles back at him – and Victor turns the box around, finally showing Hop the ring.

“Hop,” Victor whispers. He’s sure no one else can hear him, but his words are only meant for his boyfriend anyway. Victor takes a deep breath and lets his request spill out. “I love you. Please marry me.”

“No,” Hop says, opening his box. The ring inside is familiar – tiny rubies and sapphires set next to a large diamond, silver but not overly extravagant. Victor feels his breath hitch – they’d gotten the _same fucking ring for each other._ _“You_ marry _me.”_

Victor can feel a laugh on his lips and tears pricking at his eyes.

_ “Yes,” _ he says. “I love you so much.”

Hop stands up first, offering Victor a hand to help him up. Enthusiastically, Victor grabs onto him, still red with fervor. While sliding the ring onto Victor’s finger, Hop looks like he’s about to cry – but Victor knows they’re tears of joy and not ones of longing like years prior. Victor fumbles with his own ring before Hop offers Victor his left hand.

Victor’s hands tremble as he maneuvers the ring onto Hop’s finger. Both of their hands are clammy and warm now, and it certainly doesn’t help him as he slowly puts the ring in place – but Hop never complains, only staring at him with fond eyes.

“You’re handsome,” Hop murmurs. “And now you’re mine.”

“I was always yours,” Victor responds. “We just have a material object to prove it.”

“Does this make us – engaged?” Hop says, a wide smile on his face. “Victor, we’re going to get married –”

Victor yanks Hop’s collar down, kissing his now-fiancé. He forgets that people are staring until they start cheering around him – but Victor only cares about Hop in this moment. Everything is about Hop – Victor loves him, Victor wants to be with him until the day he dies – Victor wants to raise a family with him, live with him, kiss him until his lips turn blue –

“I love you,” Hop says into their kiss.

“I love you too,” Victor replies.

Tears stream freely down his cheeks.

**Author's Note:**

> marina and the diamonds - froot has been stuck in my head and? i just wrote it. thanks for your time, I'm trash.


End file.
